A PETA protester, holding a sign reading “Pharrell: Stop Supporting the Killing of Animals for Fashion,” disrupted the premiere of Pharrell Williams' animated film “The Lego Movie.” Piece by piece At the Toronto International Film Festival. The interruption came as the musician and Louis Vuitton menswear creative director were answering questions after the film's screening, at which point he tried to talk to them.
“Your Louis Vuitton collection… Pharrell’s collection is made with their blood,” the protester shouted on stage. “Pharrell stop torturing animals! Ostriches are hung upside down, electrocuted and their throats cut.” PETA responded to Louis Vuitton’s use of fur and wild animal skins, writing on X (formerly Twitter): “Do the right thing and switch to synthetic and vegan alternatives now!”
Pharrell Williams addresses PETA protestor at his film premiere:
“We’re actually working on that. And if she would’ve just asked me, I would’ve told her. But instead, she wanted to repeat herself.” pic.twitter.com/4iOBipTQOt
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 11, 2024
In response, Williams walked to the edge of the stage and said, “You’re right, you’re right.” He then led the crowd in a rendition of “God Bless You” to the protester as they continued chanting, “Pharrell stop torturing animals.” Williams told them, “Yes, I did.”
“This is not necessarily the right way to do it, and when I sit in my position, when I do talks on behalf of organizations like this without their knowledge, they come here and hurt themselves,” Williams told the audience after security removed the protester from the stage. “But this is a good thing. When this change comes, everyone in this room will remember that I told you we were already working on it. If she had just asked me, I would have told her. But instead, she wanted to repeat herself.”
Williams was appointed creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear in February 2023, succeeding the late Virgil Abloh. His first collection debuted at Paris Fashion Week last June, offering the first glimpse into the luxury fashion house’s future.
“We would be happy to stop harassing Pharrell’s appearance, but despite much talk, he has yet to shed his exotic fur and skins,” PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said in a statement. diverse“Pharrell could decide in a moment, today, to use his power for good and stop complicity in cruelty – it’s so easy to be kind.”
